Dangerous Liaison: The Inside Story of the U.S.-Israeli Covert Relationship [Hardcover]

Andrew Cockburn (Author), Leslie Cockburn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

Garnering tremedous international acclaim for its penetrating and brilliant journalism, Dangerous Liaison traces the long history of U.S.-Israeli collaboration in global espionage, including America's secret support of Israel's nuclear program.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Intelligence gathering has never been the exclusive business of the Israeli intelligence community. In fact, running arms, stealing nuclear material from the United States, assisting African leaders the likes of Idi Amin, training Medellin hit squads, and testing atomic weapons for South Africa appear to be common "services rendered" by Mossad & Company. For strategic purposes, David Ben-Gurion tied Israel's intelligence operations to CIA shirttails, which has led both countries into unbelievable circumstances. The primary lubricant to the widespread involvement of Israeli agents in everybody's business, according to the authors, is the arms business, which brings billions of dollars annually to the country and those who control the intelligence operations. This is a pragmatic look at what Israel (and its partner, the United States) have been up to since the 1950s--as opposed to how they do what they do so well (see Ian Black and Benny Morris's Israel's Secret Wars , LJ 6/1/91). Strongly recommended for most libraries with collections in this area. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/91.--Ed.
- David P. Snider, Casa Grande P.L., Ariz.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

A critical, impressively researched history of US-Israeli relations by Andrew (The Threat: Inside the Soviet Military Machine, 1983) and Leslie (Out of Control, 1987, not reviewed) Cockburn. Coming in the wake of the Gulf War, the Intifada, the Pollard espionage debacle, and the Bush Administration's somewhat revisionist attitude toward Israel, the authors' study is more than timely. Beginning with a brief, unsentimental version of Israeli history that has little in common with the establishment line, the two outline the forces, attitudes, and personalities that shaped the creation of that country and its formidable intelligence service, Mossad. From this grows the carefully crafted thesis that Mossad's most significant achievement has been the development of an enduring entente with the US via intelligence rather than conventional channels, the whole conceived by the legendary Reuven Shiloah and accepted by David Ben-Gurion. The authors also contend that rather than avoid the use of diaspora Jews in the gathering of intelligence, Mossad has heavily and successfully relied on them, as in the case of the Pollards. The direct connection between the Lehi terrorist group, the assassination of Count Bernadotte (instrumental in getting Jews out of Europe in WW II), and Shamir is explicated in detail, along with an Israeli entrepreneur's involvement in supplying Chinese ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia. Current Israeli cat's-paw activities on behalf of the CIA and involvement in US domestic affairs, including presidential elections, are also revealed, with somewhat less perspective. This is no thrown-together post-Gulf product, but an unflinching, fact-packed, closely reasoned exploration of our relations with our strongest ally in the Middle East. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins; 1st edition (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060164441
• ISBN-13: 978-0060164447
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,656,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books available on US and Israel, December 28, 2008

By 

J. A. Bujes (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Liaison (Paperback)

After the second intifada, I spent well over a year researching the history of zionism and the founding of the state of Israel. This book is one of the best I read that year: it is beautifully written, engaging, sensible, and thoroughly researched. The authors know how to tell a story and they know how to explain a fairly complex and ever-shifting history, without simplifying that story. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the history of zionism and of the United States in the 20th century. An impressive achievement.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very important subject most fear to write/talk about, November 20, 2011

By 

openlotus "openlotus" (berkeley) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Liaison (Paperback)

This book is a must read, well laid out and the author's subtle humour lends a measure of elegence to the writing.

Most wars are for profit, and this book sheds more light about the connection between Israel and Iran Contra. I am amazed at the interviews he obtained with some of these Israelis. And some of their candid remarks about how they feel about "Gentiles". Not very suprising really, as history has shown us. Nevertheless its a must read as Israel is prolific in their entaglement for profit and otherwise in a lot of the ugliest killings around the world. Its sad to read then and even now how civilians are slaughtered by killers trained and supplied by Israel, and then for the Israeli trainers to say, they don't care what Gentiles do with the bombs as long as Israelis make a profit.

Most US government as so afraid to speak the truth about Israel, witness how Netanyahoo lectures Obama to a White house audience, how the Israeli bombing and killing of US sailors on USS Liberty, etc, etc, is never addressed by the US government, and in fact the information is suppressed. And we think we are the superpower?? The truth is we have been hit by a deadly virus that has infilttrated all levels of government using greed, blackmail and other tools. You won't hear our "patriots" take on this virus!

18 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Facinating Cloak-and-Dagger Reading, August 3, 2001

By 

Warren McDermott (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Liaison (Paperback)

A very interesting account of the intrigue, plotting, and scheming done by the Zionists in their bid to garner U.S. political, military and economic support for Israel. Highly recommended, very well written and well researched.